Curbside Consolation

“OH SHIT!”

Viv attempts to lunge at Becca for what she said, and you and everyone else around them all react in shock. Thankfully, Brooke and Cassie were able to hold Viv back while Brad stood between Becca and Viv.

“Hey! Some people want to workout in peace here!” Another female gym goer shouts, after hearing the loud shouts coming from your group. You look at the person who complained and she’s not actually working out, just taking selfies by the mirror.

“I’m sorry, Ms. Karen. It’s being handled. We apologize for the commotion.” Brad immediately apologizes.

“I’m sorry, I’m going to have to ask you to leave.” Brad tells Viv sternly, before glancing towards Brooke as an instruction of what she needs to do.

“I’m sorry, V. We have a business to run.” Brooke tells her. Viv is still huffing, and her anger is still very much visible in her eyes and body language, forcing Brooke to drag her outside with a bearhug from behind.

“You too, Ms. Hoffman. I apologize, but you caused a commotion at our establishment. You help run a business yourself, so I hope you understand. Please leave peacefully or we’ll have to have Chad— I mean our security — escort you out.” Brad tells Becca, his back still towards her, as he watches Brooke drag Viv out… as do you.

“Dad!” Stella snaps you out of your trance. You’ve been frozen in place, and just watched your obviously suffering girlfriend get dragged out by Brooke outside the gym… and you did nothing.

Stella’s shout finally makes you move, and you run towards Viv without a second thought.

“Viv!” You shout after exiting the gym, and seeing Brooke still hugging Viv from behind; not holding her back as she did before, but seemingly holding her up to prevent her from falling down. You run towards them and hold Viv’s cheeks in your hands, making her look at your eyes filled with concern. You can’t quite place the emotions going through Viv right now as her eyes are watery but the tears aren’t flowing; there’s a fury inside them, but you notice she has a pained look too.

Brooke lets her go, and you wrap Viv around your arms, trying to comfort her as much as you can with your hug.

“I-I’m not entirely sure what happened, but just know that I’m here for you.” You assure Viv, hugging her tighter as you do.

“Dad!”, “Jay!” Your girlfriends shout out to you.

“We are here for you.” You correct yourself, before breaking away from your hug to look at Viv in the eyes once more. She has a conflicted smile on her face, as the tears begin to flow.

“Viv! I’m so sorry I told Paige it was okay to invite Becca. I didn’t know.” Stella apologizes before stepping between you and Viv to give Viv her own hug. Cassie and Tanya were right behind her to give her a group hug too.

“What the hell is going on!?” Paige asks from behind you, and you turn around to face her. You see her and Becca just leaving Brooke’s gym with Chad at the door behind them.

“Bro! After you take care of your shorties, can we —” Chad shouted out to you.

“NOT NOW, CHAD!” Brooke and your girlfriends, except Viv, shout back at him simultaneously.

“Man, it’s true what they say about their sync up.” Chad said before closing the gym door, leaving your group outside in the street of Brooke’s gym. There were random people walking by, but it didn’t stop Brooke from confronting Becca as soon as she saw her. Brooke rushes past you and immediately stands in front of Becca to prevent her from coming closer to your group any further, as Brooke saw she was walking towards you.

“That was a technical foul, Becca. They don’t know Viv’s story, but I fucking do. How dare you treat what our friend went through as a joke!?” Brooke asks her, furious.

“I know.” Becca answers her. You look at Becca for the first time since Viv’s outburst. Whatever authoritative aura you imagined her to have when you first saw her is completely gone. She looks defeated, she has her head down, and she knows she fucked up.

“I was here to apologize...” Becca informs Brooke. “... but my competitiveness got the best of me.” She tries to explain.

“Whatever reason you have, Becca; it doesn’t matter. Your jab was pretty calculated. You knew that would hurt Viv the most and you still went for it. You didn’t seem to care about the consequences before you said it, and it’s only after you know you’ve hurt her that you want to apologize. THAT is an asshole move. YOU are an asshole.” Brooke admonishes her.

“HEY! Chill the fuck—” Paige interjects in defense of Becca. Paige tried to step in between Brooke and Becca, but Becca prevented her from doing so, causing Paige to not finish her sentence.

“I agree, Brooke. Wholeheartedly.” Becca replies sincerely. Taking Brooke and Paige by surprise, as she was probably expecting Becca to fire back.

“What I did was inappropriate. I know. Once again, I apologize. I didn’t come here to fight. I accepted Paige’s invitation so I could talk to Vivian… peacefully… but when I felt she still wanted to fight… I…” Becca started explaining before beginning to take more frequent pauses. This is definitely not the self-assured and confident Becca that you’re used to.

“Fuck.” You hear Viv say under her breath, taking yours, Brooke’s, and Becca’s attention back to her. “Fuck. Fuck. Fuck-fuck-fuck-fuck-FuuuUUUUCK!” Viv steadily built up before screaming the final fuck at the top of her lungs. You immediately run back towards her but she’s not looking at you, and you don’t want to **** her to look at you. She looks dejected… at herself.

“Fuck.” Viv says quietly, before inhaling so deep you could hear the air flow through her nose. You were getting ready for her to scream at Becca, but she exhaled it calmly through her mouth at a steady breath. You help her wipe the tears that were running down her cheeks with your thumb, and she looks you in the eyes because of it.

“I’m sorry I’m such a mess.” Viv says, not just to you, but to the whole group it seems. You give her another hug to comfort her, and your girlfriends take your cue and continue the group hug they had earlier. You even feel Brooke join in from behind you.

…

“Thank you for inviting me, Paige; but I think it best if I leave. I’m not welcome here. Can you please get my bag from the locker rooms? ” You hear Becca say, and Paige immediately runs back to the gym, while Becca grabs her phone to make a call.

You don’t move to stop Becca from leaving. None of you do. She’s an acquaintance at best for most of you, other than Viv. Plus, you all know that Viv is not in a good place to talk right now, and forcing her and Becca to talk this out tonight could just escalate things even further. More importantly, you don’t want to break away from comforting Viv just to stop Becca. You’ll help Viv figure out how to make amends with Becca some other time, if that’s what she wants to do.

At least, that was the plan you were formulating in your head.

“Becca! Wait!” Viv shouts out to Becca, breaking away from the group hug. The five of you try to stop Viv from going after Becca, so she calls out to Becca one more time. “Becca! I’m sorry for thinking you were here to continue our fight. If you came here to talk, I’m… I’m sorry for being such a bitch.” Viv says to Becca, as all of you release your hold on her, knowing that she’s calmed down now.

“You don’t deserve to look like the bad guy when I’m the one who fucked up.” Viv apologizes to Becca, as she walks towards her. “I know you. You don’t back down from anyone. It was my fault for being aggressive tonight.” Viv apologizes to Becca.

“I felt threatened. I thought you came here to **** yourself onto something special that I found… something that I’m not willing to share with another person from our community. I had flashbacks of what it felt like to be forgotten and placed aside because of someone else. I know it’s hypocritical to care about sharing someone with you, when I’m already sharing him with multiple other women, and even openly pushing him to date others… but I’m selfish, and stupid, and irrational, and incredibly insecure, and —” Viv started admitting to all her personal hang ups before Becca interrupts her with a hug.

A hug that Viv returns.

The hug lasts for a few minutes before both women break away from each other.

“I hope the hug wasn’t too awkward. My programming doesn’t allow for many hugs so I’m still a novice at it.” Becca jokes at her expense to try and place Viv in a better mood.

“Nope. Not teasing you for that. I don’t want to ruin this by saying something stupid.” Viv says before zipping her mouth with her fingers.

“Similar to what I did earlier?” Becca asks her, awkwardly. Nervous about reminding Viv of the haymaker she threw earlier about Viv’s past. “I truly regret saying those words, Vivian.” Becca tells her.

“Don’t.” Viv surprisingly tells her. “You said the exact same thing I would have said if I was you. I know I’m a habitual line stepper, and I cross the line by accident… intentionally… multiple times… and you know that. It’s perfectly logical for a robot like you to think if I could dish it, I should be able to take it.” Viv says jokingly.

You’re reminded she told you about Becca’s distaste for being called a robot. A part of you was nervous about Viv’s unnecessary dig; but Becca, thankfully, smiles it off. Knowing Viv was only kidding.

“Thank you for your understanding. I still regret what I said, and I’m sure you still have your issues with me. As such, take as much time off as you need; or if it is time off from me you need, just tell me and I’ll avoid dropping by at your restaurant so you—” Becca tells Viv, before Viv quickly corrects her.

“Our restaurant, B.” Viv corrects her, making Becca smile in return.

“Wait, Brooke is my B. How about you be my B.H.?” Viv suggests, and Becca smiles wider.

“How very domme of you, Vivian.” Becca answers her jokingly.

“What?” Viv asks in confusion.

“Your proposal for me to be your Bee-eych.” Becca emphasizes her pronunciation of the letters, and you all understood what she meant with her joke, but didn’t laugh anymore since it would have been awkward.

“Jokes aside, the offer stands.” Becca assures her.

“I’ll see you tomorrow at the restaurant. I’m feeling much better.” Viv answers her, making both of them smile.

“If you’re willing to not skip work, I would think that’s evidence to the contrary.” Becca jokes.

“Touché” Viv replies with a smirk.

“Well, as I have been rightfully asked to exit the gym, I’ll still have to take my leave.” Becca says before glancing at Paige, who rushes towards her to give her bag.

“I—” Brooke wanted to jump in, but Becca stopped her with a hand gesture.

“You meant every word you said, and you did not care about their effects when you said them. Don’t be a hypocrite, Brooke. Unlike me, you’re not an asshole. You’re a good friend.” Becca assures Brooke with a shy smile that Brooke returns.

“If you’re going to say I’m welcome back to the gym, I think it best that I don’t go for now as to avoid more complications. Thank you though.” Becca tells Brooke, and Brooke just nods, apologetic for her outburst earlier.

“Well, I was literally dragged out of the gym too, so that means you and I have some free time on our hands. You want to have an actual talk without me being an emotional wreck so we can figure this out?” Viv asks her.

“Of course.” Becca answers her.

“Your place or mine?”